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I UNITED STATES OP AMERICA. J I 



PROCEEDINGS 



OF THE 



_A ME BIC AN" 



IRON & STEEL ASSOCIATION, 



AND OF THK 



CONVENTION OF 



IRON AND STEEL MAKERS, 



HELD IN PHILADELPHIA. 



February 4U1 and 6th, 1874. 




PHILAUELPHIA: 

Ringwalt it Brown, Steam-Power Book and Job Printers, 

Seventh Street, below Chestnut. 

1874. 



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PROCEEDINGS 



American Iron and Steel Association, 

February 4th, 1874.. 



The Association met at eleven o'clock on 
"Wednesday morning, February 4th, at its 
rooms, No. 265 South Fourth Street, Phila- 
delphia, the President, Sam'l J. Reeves, Esq., 
in the chair. The Secretary, Mr. James M. 
Swank, read the minutes of the last meeting, 
which were approved. A few remarks were 
made by the President in relation to the ob- 
jects of the meeting, having special reference 
to the desired union of the iron associations 
of the country, after which the report of the j 
Secretary was submitted to the consideration ! 
of the members present, among whom were 
Messrs. James I. Bennett, of Graff, Bennett 
& Co., Pittsburgh, Pa.; Thomas S. Blair, of 
Sboeuberger, Blair & Co., Pittsburgh, Pa.; 
Robert G. Bushnell, of Park, Brother & Co., 
Pittsburgh ; Percival Roberts, of A. & P. Rob- 
erts & Co., Phila. ; W. E. C. Coxe, represent- 
ing the Philadelphia and Reading Rolling 
Mill, Reading, Pa. ; W. S. Mead, of Knoxville 
Iron Co., Knoxville, Tenn.; C. E. Coffin, of 
Muirkirk Iron Co., Muirkirk, Md.; Chester 
Griswold, of John A. Griswold & Co., Troy, 
N. Y. ; John Rogers, of J. & J. Rogers Iron 
Co., Blackbrook, N. Y.; Wm. G. Neilson, 
and H. G. Townsend, of Logan Iron and 
Steel Co., Lewistown, Pa.;G. B. Stebbins, of 
Wyandotte Rolling Mill Co., Detroit, Michi- 
gan ; Z. S. Durfee, of Pneumatic Steel Asso- 
ciation, New York; W. H. Morris, of Morris, 
Wheeler & Co., Phila.; E. Y. Townsend, 
D. J. Morrell and Cyrus Elder, of Cambria 
Iron Co., Johnstown, Pa.; S. M. Felton and 
Chas. S. Hinchman, Pennsylvania Steel Co., 
Phila. ; Alfred Hunt and Joseph Wharton, of 
Bethlehem Iron Co., Bethlehem, Pa.; Wm. 
Jones, of Alliance Rolling Mill Co., Alliance, 
Ohio; J. B. Moorhead, of J. B. Moorhead 



& Co., Conshohocken, Pa.; T. F. Miner, 
Jagger Iron Co., Albany, N. Y.; G. W. Barr, 
of Miller, Barr & Parkin, Pittsburgh, Pa.; 
S. A. Fuller, of Cleveland Iron Co., Cleve- 
land, Ohio; Orin C. Frost, of Northern New 
York Iron and Mining Co., Watertown, 
N. Y.; Frederick J. Slade, New Jersey Steel 
and Iron Co., Trenton, N. J.; and Sam- 
uel J. Reeves, of Phoenix Iron Co., Phcenix- 
ville, Pa. 

On motion of Mr. Wharton, the President 
appointed a committee, consisting of Messrs. 
Morrell, Moorhead, Roberts, Coxe, Stebbins, 
Elder and Rogers, to whom resolutions were 
to be referred for consideration. To this 
committee Messrs. Wharton and Reeves were 
added by the desire of the gentlemen present. 
A memorial to Congress, and several reso- 
lutions concerning the proposed union of 
iron associations and relating to national 
finances, were referred to the- committee, who 
were authorized to meet like committees from 
the other iron associations and to unite in a 
report to be submitted to the general meet- 
ing to be held at the Continental Hotel on 
the 5th inst. 

A. piece of finely polished cold-twisted steel 
rail, presented by the Joliet Iron and Steel 
Co., was submitted to the inspection of the 
members, after winch Mr. Thomas S. Blair 
exhibited some excellent specimens of cast 
steel converted by his new direct process for 
the manufacture of homogeneous iron and 
steel, which he explained. Samples of rich 
iron ore and coal from Alabama were pre- 
sented by Mr. G. B. Stebbins. The President 
urged the members to attend the union meet- 
ing at the Continental Hotel on the 5th inst., 
after which the Association adjourned. 



SPECIAL EEPOKT OF THE SECRETARY. 

Mr. President and Gentlemen: 

Since the annual meeting of the Associa- 
tion, on the 20th of November last, the 
office has been removed to more commo- 
dious and tasteful apartments at No. 265 
South Fourth Street, Philadelphia. This 
change was resolved upon in consequence of 
the increased general business of the Asso- 
ciation, and especially in view of the neces- 
sity which existed for providing accommoda- 
tions for the scientific commission which had 
been called to assist us in the work of col- 
lecting, classifying, and analyzing iron ores, 
fuels, etc., for the approaching International 
Exhibition. Public announcement has been 
made of the appointment of this commission, 
and the producers and consumers of the min- 
erals alluded to have been requested to con- 
tribute to the fund proposed to be created for 
the payment of its necessary expenses, and 
to meet such other pecuniary liabilities as the 
Association may incur in discharging the trust 
confided to it. The services of the commis- 
sion are to be rendered gratuitously. It is 
expected that it will meet for organization 
during the present month. 

THE IRON AND STEEL INSTITUTE OP GREAT 
BRITAIN. 

From unofficial information received, it is 
now rendered probable that the members of. 
the Iron and Steel Institute oi Grtat Britain 
will postpone their contemplated visit to this 
country until the year 1876, when the Cen- 
tennial Exhibition will be held, which will 
afford the members a better opportunity to 
compare the iron manufactures of the United 
States with those of their own country. 

IRON AND STEEL ASSOCIATIONS. 

At tbe mass convention of iron aud steel 
manufacturers, which is to be held on the day 
following the present meeting of this Associ- 
ation, it is probable that the subject of form- 
ing a more perfect union of all the iron and 
steel organizations of the country will be in- 
troduced. In view of this probability, it is 
proper to call attention to the fact that, on 
the 7th of December, 1872, a formal propo- 
sition to form a federative union was made by 
this Association; that a conference of dele- 
gates representing three of the iron associa- 



tions, our own included, was held on the 9th 
of January, 1873, to consider this proposi- 
tion; that, in compliance with the instruc- 
tions of this conference, a constitution for 
the government of the proposed union was 
subsequently prepared and submitted to all 
of the delegates and to others ; and that, up 
to the present time, no communication has 
been received by this Association intimating 
that any action whatever has been taken 
upon the proposed constitution by any of the 
other organizations. The reasons for con- 
certed and harmonious action are just as 
cogent now as ever, and if any of the other 
organizations should submit a plan of union, 
this Association is prepared to give it prompt 
and careful consideration. 

Presuming that more united action be- 
tween the different branches of the iron 
trade of the country is possible and desira- 
ble, we venture the suggestion that the 
duties of this Association and of similar as- 
sociations should be carefully defined by 
some committee which shall be jointly con- 
stituted. Application to manufacturers for\ 
the statistics of their business, to be pub- \ 
lished for the benefit of the iron trade and J 
for the information of the country, should 
emanate from only one association, and re- 
quests for these statistics from all other 
sources should be refused and condemned./ 
Much annoyance to manufacturers has been 
caused by the frequency with which they 
have been asked to reveal the details of their 
business to various agencies, and much 
confusion and uncertainty have resulted in 
consequence of the numerous and conflicting 
statements that have been prepared and pub- 
lished — wholly or in part — from information 
thus obtained. The general interests of the 
iron trade should be intrusted to only one 
association, for obvious reasons. The as- 
sociation which cares for the general inter- 
ests of the trade and collects its statistics 
should have nothing to do with the adjust- I 
ment of prices of product, wages of labor, 
and other matters of interest only to specials 
branches of the iron industry. These sub- 
jects should be committed to strictly trade 
organizations. There can certainly be no 
objection to the creation, if need be, of as 



many associations of this character as there 
are branches of the iron trade or districts of 
iron pi-oduction. Individual members of 
these associations could be members of the 
general body, and it should be the policy of 
such a body, having care of all the iron inter- 
ests, to divide the management of its affairs 
among the diiferent branches of the trade. 
If it should be deemed necessary for the 
association i-epresenting general interests to 
publish a periodical, provision should be 
made for the insertion in its columns of 
papers of interest relating to every branch of 
the trade. 

IRON AND STEEL METALLURGY. 

In this connection we are induced to re- 
peat the suggestion heretofore made that the 
iron trade of this country greatly needs an 
organization which can accomplish a work 
similar to that of the Iron and Steel Insti- 
tute of Great Britain. That body was or- 
ganized a few years ago <- to afford a means 
of communication between members of the 
iron and steel trades upon matters bearing 
upon the respective manufactures, exclu- 
ding all questions connected with trade 
regulations;" and it was expressly stipu- 
lated that it should "arrange periodical 
meetings for the purpose of discussing 
practical and scientific subjects bearing upon 
the manufacture and working of iron and 
steel." This scientific purpose has from the 
first constituted the leading and most valua- 
ble feature of the Institute, ^and it is this 
feature which no iron association of this 
country has ever fully possessed. This fact 
is not creditable to the enterprise, the in- 
telligence, and the esprit de corps of Ameri- 
can manufacture rs of iron and steel; al- 
though the truth is that no class of manu- 
facturers anywhere has exhibited more fer- 
tility than they in the adaptation of means 
to ends, more genius in the invention of new 
processes, more skill in their application, or 
more generosity in sharing with each other 
the knowledge they possessed. But, owing 
to the vast extent of territory over which 
the iron industry of this country is scat- 
tered, and the wide areas which separate 
iron manufacturers, it must happen that, 
without an organization specially devoted to 



collecting and preserving the fruits of study 
and investigation of technical and scientific 
questions, much of the good that might be 
done by an interchange of ideas and com- 
parison of experience must necessarily be 
lost. If it has been found profitable for the 
leading ironmasters of England to meet 
together frequently for the discussion of 
scientific questions, surely the inducements 
for American ironmasters to do the same can 
not be of trifling significance. We ui'ge, 
therefore, upon the attention of the members 
of this Association the propriety of con- 
sidering whether it would not be wise to 
give encouragement to the organization of 
a scientific department of the Association 
which could give special and undivided at- 
tention to the cause of American iron metal- 
lurgy. Years ago, in the adoption of the 
organic law of the Association, this work 
was declared to be necessary. It was stated 
to be one of its objects "to provide for 
the mutual interchange of information and 
experience, both scientific and practical." 
This declaration stands unrepealed to-d;iy. 
But it has never brought forth ripe fruit. 
The Association has had and still has too 
many other important interests to care for, 
and it has not encouraged a scientific mem- 
bership. May it not now properly lead the 
way to the l-ealization of its own aspiration, 
while leaving to others the performance of 
the work? 

CONGRESS AND THE FINANCIAL SITUATION. 

Since the annual meeting of the Associa- 
tion in November last, the first session of the 
Forty-third Congress has convened, and many 
propositions relative to the financial situation 
of the country have been laid before it. 
While it may be assumed that Congress will 
wisely legislate upon a question of such- mo- 
mentous interest to every branch of Ameri- 
can industry, it is plainly the privilege of or- 
ganizations which represent important in- 
dustries to make public declaration of their 
views and wishes concerning it, to the end 
that legislators may receive all needed light 
upon a problem of great perplexity and dif- 
ficulty. That this Association should pro- 
pose to Congress a complete solution of this 
problem is not, we presume, contemplated; 



but that it should avail itself of the privilege 
to state the probable effects upon the iron 
and steel industries of any proposed meas- 
ures of relief is a duty which it can not and 
dare not disregard. Especially can it not 
afford to ignore this duty when the fact is 
considered that the enemies of American in- 
dustry are active and united in pressing upon 
the attention of Congress a financial policy 
which would narrow the opportunities and 
lower the wages of American labor, and 
make what capital we have so timid of in- 
vestment in all progressive enterprises that 
the material resources of the country would 
experience no further development, and exist- 
ing schemes of great pith and moment 
would be abandoned. The policy which 
aims to secure a further contraction of the 
currency, or to continue the existing con- 
traction, may be honestly believed in by some 
true friends of American industry, but it is 
a most significant fact that the supporters of 
this policy mainly come from the ranks of 
the importers and non-producers of the coun- 
try and their agents. We speak plainly 
when we say that there is probably not in the 
country one importer of foreign merchan- 
dise, or one clamorous petitioner for lower 
duties, who is not also in hearty accord with 
the policy of contracting the currency. The 
foreign manufacturer could secure no greater 
advantage over his American rival than 
would be afforded him by the adoption of a 
policy which would check all American enter- 
prise by withholding the water to move its 
wheels and the fuel to feed its fires. 

It has been conclusively shown from offi- 
cial figures, by one of the most eminent sta- 
tisticians of the country, that from the first 
of July, 1868, to the first of July, 1873, five 
years, the withdrawal from actual circulation 
of the paper currency issues of* the National 
Treasury amounted to three hundred millions 
of dollars. During this time the currency 
requirements of the country greatly in- 
creased. Is it any wonder that we have had 
a great panic, or that the blasting effects of 
that panic are still visible wherever there is a 
rolling-mill, a blast furnace, a woolen factory, 
or other monument of the genius of a great 
people? The fact is not overlooked that 



many persons assert that this panic was 
caused by over-speculation — by pushing the 
development of the country's resources be- 
yond the demands of the time. But those 
who assert this forget that the enterprise 
which builds railroads, opens mines, and es- 
tablishes manufactories is the enterprise 
which has made us a great and powerful 
nation, given steady employment at good 
wages to millions of our countrymen who 
possessed no capital but their strong arms, 
and encouraged the emigration from other 
lands of a sturdy population to fill up our 
waste places. A wise policy is not to be 
condemned because the foolish or the dis- 
honest may pervert it, nor is the enterprise 
which marks the progress of a nation to be 
discouraged because a railroad is occasionally 
built where there is no present business to 
sustain it. 

TARIFF LEGISLATION. 

Closely related to a proper solution of the 
financial problem, and iu large degree form- 
ing a part of it, is the question of tariff legis- 
lation. It can not be doubted that the im- 
porting interest is not only extremely active 
in the advocacy of low duties, but that its 
hopes of accomplish ing a reduction have of 
late been greatly encouraged. The partial 
disintegration of parties in the West is doubt- 
less one of the causes of this encouragement, 
but it is certain that a principal cause is the 
general supineness in matters relating to 
legislation of tfcie manufacturing interests of 
the country. Recent and trustworthy infor- 
mation leaves no doubt that the present ses- 
sion of Congress will uot be suffered to 
adjourn without having urged upon it more 
than one scheme for encouraging the impor- 
tation of foreign merchandise. It is incum- 
bent upon all the productive industries of the 
country that they advise Congressmen fully 
and at once of the evils which would certainly 
follow a reduction of duties; but it is espe- 
cially necessary that the manufacturers of 
iron and steel should do this, for no interest 
is more virulently opposed and persistently 
menaced than theirs. 

It is probably not known to many manu- 
facturers that there is uow pending before 
the House of Representatives a bill embody- 



ing the most mischievous consequences, and 
which opens up the whole subject of duties 
on imports. It is a bill for the revision and 
codification of all the statutes of the United 
States, including those which relate to the 
revenues of the Government. This is a 
measure of the utmost importance, and the 
greatest care should be exercised in its con- 
sideration. Its purpose is to condense into 
one statute or code all the laws which have 
been enacted since the foundation of the Gov- 
ernment, and are now in force. If the bill 
were a correct transcript of existing statutes, 
and if it were not liable to amendment while 
on its passage, there could perhaps be no 
reason to fear that injurious consequences 
would follow its enactment. But it is not a 
correct transcript, nor has it been suffered to 
receive the consideration of the House with- 
out having added to it many amendments 
which affect the letter of the original stat- 
utes. The errors in compilation are very 
numerous, and are of a character utterly de- 
structive of all confidence in the bill. That 
portion which relates to revenue is filled 
with errors, and if it were possible that it 
could take the place of our present revenue 
laws, very great confusion and loss to in- 
dividuals and the Government might cer- 
tainly be apprehended. It is hoped that 
its passage in its present imperfect form 
is not possible. To guard, however, against 
any possibility of such a result, it is neces- 
sary that Congressmen be fully informed 
upon those technical clauses which relate 
to duties on imports. Other bills directly 
relating to revenue are either pending before 
Congress or in course of preparation, and 
at least one of these contemplates a serious 
reduction in the duties on iron and steel. 

THE TEN PER CENT REDUCTION OP DUTIES. 

In calling attention to apprehended changes 
in the present rates of duty which would be 
injurious to the manufacturing interests of 
the country, we desire also to call attention 
to an important change which has already 
been effected. The Act of June 6th, 1872, 
reducing duties ten per cent., was substan- 
tially a free-trade victory, although not in- 
tended as such by many who voted for it. 
Its effect has been to reduce the revenue of 



the Government about fifteen millions of dol- 
lars, while it has probably not reduced the 
cost to consumers of any imported goods, 
certainly not of iron and steel, as the high 
prices of the last two years abundantly at- 
test. The money lost to the Government by 
this reduction ot duties was gained by some- 
body, and if the consumers did not get it, 
the foreign manufacturers must have added 
it to their other profits. It need not be asked 
whether it is wise to continue a policy so 
wanting in beneficial results to our own 
countrymen, and so productive of princely 
profits to our commercial and u anufacturing 
rivals. The plain duty of Congress is to re- 
peal the law, and thus place the duties where 
they were prior to its passage. This action 
would serve the double purpose of increasing 
the revenues and protecting American work- 
ingmen against the grave danger of a con- 
tinued reduction of wages. 

Positive and incoutrovertible testimony is 
not wanting that the industries of the coun- 
try have been injured by the ten per cent, 
reduction. Upon some lines of home manu- 
factured goods the profits for years have 
been so small that only a slight reduction of 
duty on foreign-made competing goods was 
necessary to give to the foreigner the virtual 
control of our market. To illustrate : Two 
and three years ago very few heavy woolen 
goods were imported at any American port; 
now the supply is mostly imported, and 
American mills oppose to it but slight com- 
petition. Philadelphia was once largely en- 
gaged in the manufacture of these goods; 
now who makes them '? 

It was a shrewd device cf the common 
enemy to secure even a slight concession to 
his demands. American productive indus- 
tries were prosperous at the time; the Na- 
tional Treasury was not in need of funds to 
meet current engagements; hence only a 
mild pretest was made against the ten per 
cent, reduction. Now, when our manufac- 
turers need the protection afforded by that 
ten per cent., and when the Treasury needs 
the revenue it has lost by the reduction, the 
short-sightedness of the act of twenty months 
ago is made painfully manifest. The enemy 
was consistent with himself; we were not 



true to our own interests. His poliey has 
ever been to chip oil' the tariff in detail, 
while ostensibly not disturbing it — here a 
little and there a little. We Avarn the 
friends of home industry in Congress snd 
the members of this Association ti:at the 
same line of policy will be pursued at Wash- 
ington this winter with a vigilance that 
never sleeps. 



BRITISH COMPETITION. 

That British ironmasters expect 



still 



a 

further reduction of duties on their ex- 
portations to this country is evident from the 
tone of leading English journals. The Liv- 
erpool Albion not long ago declared that the 
development of the ii-on industry of the 
United States was produced " under the fos- 
tering and paternal care of a protective 
tariff, which must sooner or later either be 
greatly amended or entirely abolished, and 
then English iron will easily win its way with 
' a fair field and no favor.'" The Middles- 
brough Iron and Coal Trades Review of 
January 14th of the present year contains 
the declaration that "the time may come 
when English iron will be no longer weighted 
with a heavy protective tariff in the struggle 
against American manufacture, and then the 
issue may not be so doubtful as it seems at 
present." AuotliPr leading English iron 
journal, the London Mining Journal, of 
December 27th, 1873, is yet more hopeful, 
for it sees no cause for alarm in the present 
duties. It says : "It does not appear likely 
that the shipments of our railway material 
to our Transatlantic cousins will experience 
a further contraction. It is not impro' 
an appeal will be made to Congress to in- 
crease the duty now levied on English iron 
imported into the United States; and, as the 
Washington Treasury stands in need of ad- 
ditional revenue, it is quite on the cards that 
the American Legislature may endeavor to 
raise some of that extra income at the ex- 
pense of British industrials.'''' That many 
British ironmasters can well afford to pay 
our present duties rather than lose our mar- 
ket entirely is shown by the statements of 
extraordinary profits realized by them in 
1873. The London Colliery Guardian of 
January 2d, 1874, referring to the British 



iron trade of 1873, which had been excep- 
tionally prosperous, stated that "the pig-iron 
aristocracy of Scotland have been able, dur- 
ing the last two years, to net a profit of at 
least £2 per ton over their whole production, 
and the profits of some of the better situated 
firms have been much greater." In the same 
article it declared that "the average value 
of Cleveland pig for 1873 may be put down at 
110s. per ton, or fully 25s. per ton more than 
the average of any preceding year. At this 
figure, pig-iron makers were, of course, able 
to make enormous profits. Those who 
worked their own ironstone and coal could 
manufacture the crude metal at less than 60s. 
a ton over the whole year, and as some firms 
in this category, such as Messrs. Bell Bro- 
thers, Bolckow, Vaughan & Co., and the 
Rosedale and Ferryhill Iron Company, each 
manufacture from 3000 to 5000 tons of pig 
per week, their profits must have varied from 
£6000 to £10,000 weekly." 

From the foregoing citations it plainly ap- 
pears that our British rivals mean to con- 
tinue the struggle for the possession of our 
iron markets; that they expect a reduction 
of duties in their favor; and that, whether 
duties are reduced or not, they can well 
afford to reduce their profits and continue 
shipments. It is not at all probable that the 
cost of manufacturing iron and steel will be 
as high in Great Britain in 1874 as in 1873, 
yet in the latter year, which was our panic 
year, British ironmasters sent to this country 
371,164 tons of iron and steel, valued at 
$25,000,000. This was exclusive of the manu- 
facture, s of iron and steel we imported from 
Great Britain. Thus was well illustrated 
the policy of free-trade advocates. While 
many of our blast furnaces and rolling mills 
were standing idle, and thousands of our 
countrymen were unemployed and their fami- 
lies in need of bread, we took $25,000,000 
worth of British iron and steel at prices which 
American manufacturers would have been 
glad to accept. 

Such figures are most significant. Taken 
in connection with the declarations and ad- 
missions above quoted, the members of this 
Association, and we hope the members of 
Congress, will see at a glance that this is no 



time to reduce duties on foreign iron and 
steel, but ratrler a most fitting time to in- 
crease them. 

UNIFORM CONSTRUCTION OF REVENUE LAWS. 

The importance of uniform construction 
and application at all the ports of the United 
States of the laws regulating customs duties 
received the attention of this Association at 
its last annual meeting. The subject is here 
referred to, that opportunity may be afforded 
to present the followiug table showing large 
diversions of steel exports to Boston, which 
may be regarded as prima facie evidence of 
the existence at that port of some advantage 
in valuation which does not exist elsewhere. 
The shipments of cast steel from Liverpool to 
leading ports of the United States have been 
as follows since the 1st of October last: 











— i 


. 






-i 






2 . 

ft 9 


a * 
5 e> 


a 




o 


-i 




CD O 




D 


For the week ending- 


* 




- 


1 1 


S o 
8 S 


> 




0J 


"3 


o 


:F "3 


e r 


ej 




fe 


- 


ffl 


Ph w 


Cj 




o 


o 


o 


o i o 


o o 


o 




b* 


H 


H 


Eh Eh 


H|H 


H 


October 4, 1S73, Tons. 


6 





105 


0; 2 











" 11, " 








49 








11 


'• 18, " 


81 





53 


63 








'• 25. " 








129 





40 





November 1, 1873, 


61 


7 4 











u 8) .. 


62 


107 16 


o 





15, " 


3 


4 








22, •• 


t 


13 94 











29, - 


* 


* * * * 


* 


* 


* 


December (5, " 


* 


* * * * 


* 


* 


* 


13, " 


46 47 





3 





20, " 


51 31 











27, " 


* i * * * * 


* 


* 


* 


Januarv 3, 1874, 


16 30 











u 10( >t 


* 


«• * * * 


* 


* 


X 


17. " 


1 


1 30 











Total 


327l 1. 601. 118 j 2 


63 


43 


11 



* No shipments reported, f 187 tons Bessemer steel 
shipped, but no cast steel. 

We make no imputation upon the integrity 
or intelligence of the collector or appraisers 
of the port of Boston, but there must be some 
cause for this diversion, and a different mode 
of valuing steel imports from that which pre- 
vails at other ports must be this cause. 
Formerly New York imported fully three- 
fourths of all the steel sent to us from Liver- 
pool, and Philadelphia and Baltimore took 
large quantities, but since the 1st of October 
Boston has received more than one-half of all 
the steel imported. 

We are credibly informed that foreign steel 
of really best quality, which is sold as such 



in our various markets, is often imported 'as 
second quality at a valuation which involves 
payment of a less duty than the rate paid by 
best cast steel correctly invoiced. 

To prove that we do not speak unadvisedly 
upon this subject, we quote the following 
statement from an article in the Boston Com- 
mercial Bulletin of January 31st: "Boston 
enjoys the advantage of appraisers who in- 
terpret the tariff on steel at a saving of ten 
per cent, in duty against that charged by 
either New York or Philadelphia custom 
officials. It seems, too, that Sheffield manu- 
facturers sell steel to English and European 
buyers at 60 shillings per cwt., and consign 
similar goods to their American agents at 50 
shillings. By this operation the tariff on 
steel, costing 10 cents per pound, and paying 
3£ cents and 10 per cent., is dodged, and 2 
cents per pound is saved in invoiced value, 
making the duty only 3 cents. This at least 
is a generous discrimination in favor of the 
American consumer." 

THE EFFECTS OF THE PANIC UPON THE 
AMERICAN IRON TRADE. 

Since the opening of the new year the ef- 
forts of this office have been largely directed 
toward the collection of accurate information 
showing the effects of the panic upon the 
home iron trade. At the beginning of the 
panic, in September last, no industry in the 
country was so injuriously affected as the 
manufacture of iron and steel. Later in the 
year other industries partly revived, but no 
signs of a revival in the iron trade were ap- 
parent until near the close of December, when 
large quantities of pig iron changed hands at 
very low figures, some of them certainly not 
representing the cost of manufacture. Many 
of these sales were entirely speculative. 
These transactions gave encouragement to 
the belief in some minds that the effects of 
the panic upon the trade had been spent, and 
that business in the future would continue 
steadily to improve. These anticipations have 
not been realized. January was a very dull 
month in every branch of the iron business, 
and February opens with no brighter promise. 
At the end of almost five months of panic, 
the general iron trade of the country is very 
little nearer to a condition of health and pros- 



10 



perity than at the beginning. The reasons for 
this unfavorable situation will appear at a 
glance. 

The quantity of iron of all kinds — rail- 
road, bar, and pig — which has annually been 
required by the railroads of the country dur- 
ing the past few years has been more than 
one-half of the total iron production and 
importation of the country. This quantity 
has been required for new track, for relaying 
old track, for locomotives, cars, car- wheels, 
bridges, etc. The panic almost stopped the 
construction of new railroads and repairs to 
existing roads, and it compelled railroad 
companies to be so economical of their re- 
sources that few orders for new locomotives, 
cars, and bridges have since been given out. 
Here is the principal cause of the continued 
dullness in the iron market, and until railroad 
companies re-enter the market for the supply 
of all kinds of railway material there can be 
no general improvement in any branch of the 
iron business. How soon they will do this 
does not now appear. Other but subordi- 
nate causes of the continued dullness of the 
iron trade may be found in the interruption 
caused by the panic to all business operations 
largely requiring iron, such as the construc- 
tion of iron buildings, agricultural imple- 
ments, sewing machines, stoves, ranges and 
heaters, mill-machinery, etc., and to the en- 
forced economy of the people in dispensing 
with minor articles of iron manufacture which 
they could temporarily do without. 

Having in general terms stated the effects 
of the panic upon the iron trade of the 
country, we now proceed to present detailed 
information showing the condition of the 
trade at the beginning of January. This 
information has been derived directly from 
correspondence with the manufacturers of 
pig iron and railroad iron, the two most im- 
portant branches of the trade. The figures 
which we shall present concerning these 
branches will serve as a correct index to the 
situation of the merchant bar manufacture, 
the next most important branch. 

Bail Mills. — Of 57 rail mills in the country, 
which are prepared to make rails of heavy 
sections, returns have been received during 
January from 50. Of the seven not heard 



from, one is certainly known to be idle, 
leaving only six from which no information 
has been received. Of these six, four are 
mills of small capacity. From the 50 re- 
porting mills the following information has 
been received : 

Whole number of rail mills 57 

Number of mills making returns 50 

Number of mills running December 31, 1873 17 

Number running full time 10 

Number running half time 7 

Number standing 33 

Number proposing to resume in January 10 

Number uncertain about resuming 23 

Number of hands wholly unemployed 11,490 

Number of hands employed half time 10,150 

Number of mills selling rails 13 

Number of mills not selliug rails 37 

Net tons of rails on hand and unsold Dec. 31 36,744 

Blast Furnaces. — At the close of 1873 there 
were G50 blast furnaces in the country which 
were either making pig iron or were pre- 
pared to make it. Returns have been re- 
ceived during the month of January from 
3S5 of these furnaces, or about three-fifths of 
the whole number, showing the number of 
stacks in blast, the number out of blast, the 
number of tons of pig iron on hand and un- 
sold on the 1st of January, and the number 
of hands then out of employment. These 
returns are tabulated below: 



Bituminous Goal and Coke Furnaces. 



o — 



e" 




*j 


o 




c« 












A 


T3 




<— 








a 


,Q 




a 


.2 


s 
o 


a 


m 


is 








sj 


- 


at 








02 


t/j 


11 





— 


— 



Tv.mn \ Shenango Valley. 21 13 

lenna - \ Miscellaneous 27 20 

Maryland 3 l 

West Virginia 2 2 

Kentucky 2 1 

( Hanging Rock 4 

Ohio. ] Mahoning Valley 15 6 

(Miscellaneous n 7 

Indiana 7 

Illinois 5 1 

Vlichigan.. 1 o 

Missouri 5 1 



8 38, 143 

7 8,491 

2 2,366: 

3,675 
1, 3,114 
2 4,879 
9i 15,729 
4 9,953 
7, 10,378 
4 11,710 

1 none 
4 8,976 



291 

663 

50 

79 

115 
741 
363 
500 
200 
iione 
285 



Total. 



105 56 1 49 1 117,414' 3,287 



Anthracite Coal and Coke Furnace* 






3 1 2 3,000 
1 1 0; 5,000 


100 




65 






Total 


4 2 2 ; 8,000 


165 







Bituminous Coal and Charcoal Furnaces. 



Virginia 3 



11 



Anthracite, Blast Furnaces. 



Massachusetts 

New Jersey 

New York 

("Lehiah 

Penna. \ Schuylkill 

| U P- Susquehanna. 

[.Lower " 

Maryland 

Virginia 



a 








o 




od 
















^ 






3 


o 


d to 


a 


a 


o 


s 2 


m 


a 


M 


o ^ 


<& 


- 


S 










■J: 


/. 


CO 


02 


1 


i 


o 


298 


11 


5 


6 


12,332 


24 


19 


5 


27,592 


26 


15 


11 


14,822 


19 


12 


7 


7,275 


16 


9 


7 


7,220 


24 


17 


7 


9,398 


4 


4 





3,703 


1 1 





700; 


126 


83 


43 


83,340 i 



45 
60 
336 
793 
435 
293 
354 
320 
50 



Charcoal Furnaces. 



Maine. 

Vermont 

Massachusetts... 

Connecticut 

New York 

Pennsylvania .... 

Maryland 

West Virginia.. 

Virginia 

North Carolina. 

Georgia 

Alabama 

Kentucky 

Tennessee 

Ohio 

Michigan 

Wisconsin 

Missouri 



400 

500 

238 

3,632 

3,524 

6.332 

4,732, 

580 , 

5,670 

II none 

1 773 
2, 6.249 

2 9,036 
6 9,615 
1 17,236 
5 16,254 
4 3,805 
10,500 



none 

80 

none 

78 

46 

590 

303 

100 

642 

60 

50 

210 

300 

500 

1,679 

601 

370 

600 



Total. 147 105 42 99,076 6,209 

Complete Table by States. 



Maine 

Vermont 

Massachusetts... 

Connecticut 

New York , 

New Jersey 

Pennsylvania .... 

Maryland 

Virginia 

West Virginia... 
North Carolina. 

Georgia ,., 

Alabama 

Kentucky 

Tennessee 

Ohio 

Indiana 

Illinois 

Michigan 

Wisconsin 

Missouri 



1 1 





400 


2 1 


1 


500 ; 


2 1 


1 


536 


7 6 


1 


3,632; 


33 26 
11 5 


i 

6 


31,116 
12,332 


152 100 

15 12 

21 9 

5 5 

1 


52 
3 

12 


1 


91,681 

10,801 

6,970 1 

4,255 

none 


3 3 





773 


8 6 
11 8 


2 
3 


6,249 
12,150 


12 6 

48 32 


6 
16 


9,015i 
47,797 


7 


7 


10,378 


5 1 
18 12 

13 7 
10 6 


4 
6 
6 
4 


11,710 

21,254 

6,805 

19,476 


385 247 


L38 


308,430 ; 



none 

80 

45 

78 

382 

60 

3,419 

673 

867 

179 

60 

50 

210 

300 

500 

2.898 

'500 

200 

666 

470 



Recapitulation. 


Charcoal 


1 IT 


105 
83 
56 

j 

•il- 


ia. 99,0761 6,209 
43' 83,340 | 2,686 
49 117.414' 3,287 
2 8,000' 165 
2| 600 j 175 


Anthracite 

Bituminous coal and coke 
Coke and anthracite coal 
Bituminous coal and charcoal 


126 
L05 

4 
3 

385 


Total 


138 308,430 12,522 





From the foregoing tables it will be seen 
how severely the two leading branches of the 
iron trade were affected by the panic at the 



beginning of the new yean Over 30,000 
hands were wholly unemployed, and over 
10,000 were employed only a part of their 
time. From a trustworthy source we also 
learn that there were in New York at the 
beginning of the year over 40,000 tons of 
foreign rails unsold. Statistics in our pos- 
session also show that the wages of all iron 
workers had been largely reduced, and that 
such few mills as had been able to make sales 
of rails had been compelled to accept offers 
averaging twenty-five per cent, below the 
"rices which had prevailed before the panic. 
These figures do not require comment at our 
hands, but they should receive the careful 
consideration of Congress and the country. 

IRON ORE STATISTICS. 
The quantity of iron ore shipped from the 
Lake Superior region during the year 1873, 
according to the Marquette Mining Journal, 
was 1,178,879 gross tons, against 952,055 
gross tons in 1872. Increase, 226,824 tons. 
These figures only represent shipments, and 
do not include the ore consumed in the pro- 
duction of 63,195 gross tons of pig iron in 
the district in 1872, and 71,507 tons in 1873. 
It should not be inferred that the difference 
between the ore product of 1872 and 1873 is 
correctly expressed by the figures above 
given; for nearly all of the ore produced in 

1872 was shipped to greedy buyers, so great 
was the demand fur pig iron, but much of the 
ore actually mined in 1873 was not shipped, 
owing to the panic and other causes. Much 
of the ore shipped in 1873 is now on the 
wharves a,t Cleveland, unsold. 

Four mines unitedly shipped over 500,000 
gross tons of ore in 1873: Lake Superior, 
166,666 tons; Cleveland, 132,082 tons; Jack- 
son, 113,892 tons; and Republic, 105,452 tons. 
These were closely followed by the Champion 
mine, 72,782 tons, and the New York mine, 
70,882 tons. Shipments were made from 
forty-two mines during the year. The esti- 
mated value at the ports of shipment of all 
the ore shipped was $8,141,000. 

The price at Cleveland of first-class Lake 
Superior specular ore at the beginning of 

1873 was about $12. After the panic the 
price fell to $10. The probability is that the 
price for 1874 will be about $9. 



12 



The statistics of the production of Mis- 
souri ore are withheld by the operators. The 
price of Iron Mountain ore delivered at St. 
Louis was $10 in 1873 prior to the panic. It 
is announced that the price of the same ore 
for 1874 has been fixed at $8, delivered at 
St. Louis. 

MILES OF RAILROAD IN OPERATION, 
JANUARY 1, 1874. 

From Mr. H. V. Poor, editor of Poor's 
Manual, we have received the following table 
showing the number of miles of railroad in 
operation January 1, 1874. From those 
States marked with a star official returns have 
been received. 



State. 



Miles 



Maine 

New Hampshire.. 

Vermont* 

Massachusetts* 1 

Rhode Island* 

Connecticut 

New York 5 

New Jersey 1 

Pennsylvania 5 

Delaware 

Maryland and D. O. 1 

West Virginia 

Ohio* 4 

Michigan*. 3 

Indiana 3, 

Illinois* 6 

Wisconsin 2. 

Minnesota 1. 

Iowa 3, 

Kansas* 2. 

Nebraska 1. 

Missouri* 2. 



State. 



915 
877 
72] 

,755 
159 
897 
165 
,418 
550 
264 
046 
576 
•J.,s 
350 
711 
589 
203 
950 
736 
ion 
051 
858 



Wyoming Territory 

Utah* 

Dakota 

Colorado 

Indiau Country 

Virginia 

North < Sarolina 

South Carolina 

Georgia 

Florida 

Alabama* 

Mississippi 

Louisiana 

Texas 

Kentucky 

Tennessee 

Arkansas 

California 

Oregon 

Nevada 

Washington Ter'y... 

Total 



Total, 1872. 



Miles 

. 9 

372 

234 

603 

279 

1.573 

1.265 

1.37S 

2.260 

466 

1.722 

990 

539 

1,578 

1,320 

1,620 

700 

1,290 

251 

629 

105 

70,785 
.66,826 



Increase 3,959 



The total number of miles of railroad 
constructed in 1872 was 6,427; in 1873 there 
were only 3,959 constructed. There will be 
fewer miles built in 1874 than in 1873, unless 
Congress comes to the aid of railroad enter- 
prises of national importance, work upon 
which has been almost wholly suspended. 

BRITISH IRON PRODUCTION. 

The quantity of pig iron produced in Scot- 
land in 1873 was 993,000 tons, which was 
97,000 tons less than the production of 1872, 
which was 1,090,000 tons. The stock on 
hand at the close of the year was 120,000 
tons, or 74,000 tons less than the stock on 
hand at the close of 1872. The average price 
of Scotch pig iron for 1873 was 117s. 3d., or 
about 15s. above the average for 1872. Not- 
withstanding the high prices obtained, the 



make was not only greatly restricted below 
the product of 1872, but the quantity exported 
to foreign countries, owing to the preva- 
lence of these high prices, was only 398,850 
tons, against 616,933 tons in 1872. The 
decreased production of Scotch pig iron dur- 
ing the past three years is due partly to labor 
complications, but mainly to the increased 
scarcity of the splint coal and blackband iron- 
stone, which have given this iron its excellent 
reputation. The product has very greatly 
fallen off since 1870, when the maximum pro- 
duction of 1,206,000 tons was obtained. 

The Cleveland district of England produces 
about one-third of all the pig iron of Great 
Britain. In 1873 the product of this district 
was 1,999,491 tons, showing only a slight 
increase upon the make of 1872, which was 
1,968,072 tons. The average price of Cleve- 
land pig iron in 1873 was about 110s. a ton, 
against an average of 100s. in 1872. The 
stock of Cleveland pig iron in makers' hands 
on the 31st of December last was 80,328 tons, 
an increase oi' 40,000 tons over the total stock 
on hand at the close of 1872. 

During the latter part of the year 1873 
there was a slight decline in the .cost of fuel 
and labor in the iron districts of Great Bri- 
tain, and this decline at the date of our latest 
advices promised to be permanent. The year 
1874 will doubtless witness lower prices for 
iron in British markets than prevailed in 1873. 
This view is strengthened by the downward 
tendency of prices on the Continent. 

The statistics of the British iron trade for 
the past seven years have been admirably 
summarized by Messrs. Wm. Fallows & Co., 
of Liverpool, and will be found below: 





a 1 c" 


r-T .Q 






tion of 
Iron 
Britai 


e price 

f 

pig iro 


k, Dec. i 

ind and 
Englan 


Total exports of 
Iron of all kinds. 


Y/ear. 


3 hC cS 


« A 


loo 






l _ = 


< % 


5*5 

c -3 o 


Q,uant'y 


Value. 




rt 


m 


H fc 








Tons. 




Tons. 


Tons. 


£ 


1867. 


4,761,023 


52s. 6 1. 


644,345 


1,968.025 


15,050,391 


1868. 


4,970,206 


52s. 91. 


720,927 


2,041,1-52 


15,036,398 


1869. 


5,445,757 


53s. 3d. 730,607 


2.675,331 


19,519,201 


1870. 


5,963.515 


54s. 4d. 782,345 


2,825,575 


24,038.090 


1871. 


6.627,179 


59s. 1. 


558,331 


3,169,219 


26.124,134 


1872. 


6,741,929 


101s. lOd. 


235,628 


3,382.762 


35,996,167 


1873. 6,850,000* 117s. 3d. 1 200,328 ' 2,959,3141 37,779,586 






*Est 


mated. 







The number and location of all the blast 



13 



furnaces of Great Britain are copied below 
from the Middlesbrough Iron and Coal 

Trades Beview: 



DISTRICTS. 



BUILT. IN BLAST. 



Cleveland 

Northeast of England 

Northwest of England 

South Staffordshire 

North Staffordshire 

Shropshire 

Yorkshire— West Riding 

Derbyshire 

Northampton and Lincoln , 

Gloucester, Wilts, etc 

North Wales 

South Wales and Monmouth. 
Scotland 



Total. 



104 
37 
84 

166 
42 
29 
49 
52 
28 
18 
15 

191 

154 



35 
64 
109 
31 
21 
33 
45 
17 
12 
8 
126 
122 



721 



SHIPBUILDING ON THE CLYDE. 

The following figures show the number 
and tonnage of vessels built on tbe Clyde 
during the past four years: 





Year. 


| Vessels. Tons. 


1870 




| 234 ! 189,800 






! 231 i 196,200 






227 224,000 






194 261.500 





It will be noticed that the number of ves- 
sels built in 1873 was much less than in any 
of the three preceding years, but that the 
tonnage exhibited a considerable increase. 
The number" of vessels contracted for at the 
close of 1873 was, however, considerably 
smaller than that for either of the two pre- 
ceding years. It embraced 140 vessels of 
216,000 tons. Of the vessels launched in 
1873 many were of very heavy tonnage — 
vessels of 3,000, 3,200, 3,500, 4,000 and 4,250 
tons being common, while vessels measuring 
4, 700, 4, 800 and 4, 820 tons were also built. A 
vessel of 5, 000 tons for the Inman line is now 
in hand. There was an increase during 1873 
in the number of iron sailing vessels launched. 

THE BRITISH COAL TRADE OF 1873. 

The circular of Mr. C. E. Muller, dated 
January 14th, 1874, has the following infor- 
mation: "The drift of the coal trade during 
1873 has just been a reflex of the iron trade. 
Best coal in January was 18s. per ton, ad- 
vancing in spring to 21s. and 23s. per ton, 
subsiding again towards midsummer, and 
closing about 18s. in December. Unscreened 
coal for manufacturing purposes is about 16s. 
per ton. Coke in January last was 39s. per 
ton, advancing in March, April, and May, to 



as high as 45s. In June the fall commenced by 
a drop of 5s. per ton, continuing gradually 
till, at close of the year, the price was 30s. to 
32s. 6d. at the furnaces." 

BRITISH IRON EXPORTS. 

The subjoined table exhibits the course of 
the British iron trade during the three mem- 
orable years just passed — 1871, 1872, and 
1873: compiled from the British Board of 
Trade Returns: tons of 2240 pounds. 



Principal Articles. 


Quantities. 


To all countries. 


1871. 


1872. 


1873. 




Tons. 


Tons. 


Tons. 




1,057,458 


1,331,143 


1,139,664 


Bar. angle, bolt and rod 


349,084 


313.600 


288,422 


Railroad of all sorts 


981,197 


945,420 


786,800 


Wire of iron and steel 








(except telegraph) gal- 










26,200 


33,540 


29,884 


Hoops, sheets, boiler and 










200,337 


207,495 


201,437 


Cast or wrought, and all 








other manufactures 








(except ordnance) une- 










243,298 


269,607 


282,166 


Iron, old, for remanufac- 










139,812 


107,521 


60,478 


Steel, unwrought 


39,189 


44,969 


39,488 


Manufactures of steel, or 








steel and iron combined 


13.038 


11,384 


10,508 


Total of iron and steel... 


3,169,219 


3,382,762 


2,959,314 










Other machinery and 
















Principal Articles 




Value. 




To all countries. 


1871. 


1872. 
£ 


1873. 




£ 


£ 


Pig iron 


3,229,408 


6,712,579 


7,075,478 


Bar, angle, bolt and rod 


2,921,777 


3,632,818 


3,749,765 


Railroad of all sorts 


8,084,619 


10,225,492 


10,426,727 


Wire of iron and steel 








(except telegraph) gal- 










446,159 


672,914 


702, 


Hoops.sheets, boiler and 






2,399,203 


3,414,906 


3,736,769 


Castor wrought, and all 








other manufactures 








(except ordnance) une- 










3,588,364 


4,772,364 


5,544,028 


Iron, old, for remanufac- 










672,696 
1,198,428 


656.262 
1,478,737 


400,131 


Steel, unwrought 


1,463,857 


Manufactures of steel, or 








steel and iron combined 


682,855 


623,122 


728,726 


Total of iron and steel... 


26,124,134 


35,996.167 


37,779,586 




2.064,004 


2,694,996 


2,952,879 


Other machinery and 










3,902,037 


5,606.116 


7,041,290 



It will be observed that the quantity of iron 
and steel exported from Great Britain in 1873 
was less than in either of the years 1871 and 
1872, while the value was almost forty-five 
per cent, greater than in 1871 and almost five 
per cent, greater than in 1872. Undoubtedly 
1873 was a more prosperous year for the iron 
trade of Great Britain than 1872, notwith- 
standing the fact that fuel was higher in price 



u 



and labor was more imperious in its demands 
Nevertheless, the year which witnesses a de- 
crease in the quantity of iron exported can 
not be regarded as an auspicious one for the 
British iron trade, for the customers once lost 
may never be regained. The following table 
presents a comparative statement of the 
shrinkage in quantities of certain articles ex- 
ported in 1873 as compared with 1872: 



Commodities. 



Pig Iron. 
To United States... 

" Germany 

" Holland 

" France. 

" Other countries. 



Total to all countries 1,057,458 1,331,143 1,139,664 



1871. ; 
Tons. 
190,183 
203,284 
246,092 
71,265; 
346,634 



Quantities 

i 1872. | 

"Tons 



195,151 
310,597 
352.895 
90,234 

38^,266 



1 873. 

Tons. 

102.624 

261,642 

330,398 

89,156 

355.844 



Bar, angle, bolt and rod. 

To United States 

" British N. America... 

Total to these countries | 

Railroad of all sorts. 

To United States 

" Germany j 

" Austria 

" British N. America... j 
" Brazil, Peru and Chili 

Total to these countries 

steel unwrought. 

To United States : 

" France 

" Other Countries 



64,301 
45.146 



64,583 
46,536 



109,447! 11 1,119 j 



512,277 1 
50,287 
24,260 
61,961 
60,911 

709,696 



467,304 

50,105 

7,989 

77,255 

59,909 

662,562 



21,133 23,821 
1,764 3,204i 
L6,292 17,9+4 



23.006 
31,339 

54^345 

L85,702 

41.984 

S16 
.".4.573 

19,262 
2,544 

17.682 



Total to all countries 39,189 41.969 39,488 

The diminished exports of bar, angle, bolt 
and rod to the United States and British 
North America in 1873 are fairly balanced by 
the increased demand from Germany, Hol- 
land, Italy, British India, and other count lies. 
The shrinkage in the shipments of railroad 
iron to the countries named above is partly 
compensated by the increased shipments to 
Russia, Sweden and Norway, Holland, Aus- 
tralia, and some other countries. The Rus- 
sian demand for British railroad iron lias 
been somewhat remarkable. In 1871 there 
were imported 78,367 tons; in 1872 there were 
imported 106,939 tons; in 1873 there were 
imported 162,275 tons, or more than double 
the quantity taken in 1871. But for the 
large Russian demand it will be seen that 



there would have been a positive collapse in 
British railroad iron in 1873. 

Notwithstanding the fact that the year 
1873 was a prosperous one for British iron- 
masters, they must have regarded with some 
alarm the statistics of the iron export trade 
for the last month of the year. Compared 
with the month of December of 1872, the ex- 
hibit is far from encouraging. The following 
table shows a decrease of exports in both 
quantity and value in almost every item men- 
tioned : 



Month of December. 



Principal Articles 




Pig iron 

Bar, angle, bolt, etc. . 

Kailroad 

Wire (except teleg'ph 
Hoops, sheets and 

plates 

Cast or wrought 

Old iron 

Steel, unwrought 

Manufactures of steel 

or steel and iron 

Total pf iron and steel 

Steam engines 

Other machinery and 

mill work 



101,235 

19,385 
65,938 
2,753 

16,982 

22,059 

9,049 

3,684: 

763 : 

248.829 



Tons. 

67,402 572,634; 

19,269 243,316 

19,550 809,686 

■2.--MV 62,413 

I i 

13.077 ! 300,312 

18,159 413,483 

1,791 53,776 

2,262 131,246 

728 47,566 
182,038 2,861,636 
224,738 



400,479 

257,003 

677,444 

54,971 

247,670 
387,421 
12,132 
89,432 

52,001 

2,407,102 
206,371 



506,773 545,405 



The exports of iron and steel from Great 
Britain to the United States during the years 
1871, 1872, and 1873 are given in the follow- 
ing table : 



Principal Articles. 


Quantities. 


To United States. 


1871. 

Tons. 

190,183 
64,301 

512,277 
41,520 
10,671 
21,133 


1872. 

"Tons. 

195,151 
64,583 

467,304 
31,407 
13,468 
23,82] 

795,734 


1873. 




Tons. 
102,624 


Bar, angle, bolt and rod 


23,006 
185,702 
18.291 
22,279 
19,262 


Hoops, sheets and plates .... 
Cast or wrought 


Total 


840,085 


371,164 



Principal Articles. 
To United States. 



1871. 



Value. 
1872. 



1873. 



£ £ £ 

Pig iron ! 594,08611,017,123 693.794 



Bar, angle, bolt and rod 534,205 

Railroad of all sorts 3,976.857 

Hoops, sheets and plates .... 409,6S6 

Cast or wrought 180,005 

Steel, unwrought ; 620,537 



Total '6,315,376 8,081,6824,879,208 



745,681! 308,238 
4,812,8662, 428,061 
427,6031 303,916 
308,5511 439,897 
769,858 705,302 



15 



Proceedings of the Union Conference. 



In accordance with previous arrangement, 
committees representing various national 
iron and steel associations met in Parlor C, 
of the Continental Hotel, Philadelphia, at 9 
o'clock, p. M., February 4th, for the purpose 
of forming a union of all the associations. 
Wm. Firmstone, Esq., was called to the chair, 
and Wm. E. S. Baker and James M. Swank 
were chosen secretaries. The following com- 
mittees were present: 

Representing the National Association of 
Iron Manufacturers — Messrs. James I. Ben- 
nett, Oliver Williams, J. C. Lewis, Wm. E. 
S. Baker, Nathan Rowland, George L. Reis, 
Charles L. Bailey, Clement B. Smythe. 

Representing the American Pig Iron Manu- 
facturers' 1 Association — Messrs. Wm. Firm- 
stone, J. H. Maxson, Charles J. Nourse, 
George Fuller, C. B. Herron, and Chester 
Griswold. 

Representing the American Iron and Steel 
Association — Messrs. Daniel J. Morrell, 
Joseph Wharton, Samuel J. Reeves, Cyrus 
Elder, John Rogers, J. B. Moorhead, G. B. 
Stebbins, Percival Roberts, and W. E. C. 
Coxe. 

The following proposition for consolidation 
was presented for consideration by the com- 
mittee representing the American Iron and 
Steel Association: 

Whereas, The business of collecting and publishing 
statistics of production, and information concerning 
new inventions and processes, in all branches of iron 
and steel manufacture, and of caring for the general 
interests of the whole trade and contributing and de- 
pendent industries, can best be performed by a single 
association, which shall be national in name and char- 
acter: therefore 

Resolved, That the several associations of iron and 
steel manufacturers bo asked to commit to the Ameri- 
can Iron and Steel Association the general duties above 
referred to, and that their members are cordially in- 
vited to become members of the American Iron and 
Steel Association, with the understanding that the 
reorganized body will be made generally representa- 
tive of all iron and steel Interests. 

Mr. Bennett, on behalf of the committee 
of the National Iron Association, offered the 
following resolution, which, after discussion, 
was unanimously adopted by a yea and nay 
vote of all the gentlemen representing the 
two associations which had been requested 



to unite with the American Iron and Steel 
Association: 

Resolved, That the National Association of Iron 
Manufacturers and the American Pig Iron Manufac- 
turers' Association unite with the American Iron and 
Steel Association upon the terms proposed by its com- 
mittee. 

After the adoption of this resolution, Mr. 
Bennett submitted the following series of 
resolutions, which were separately adopted 
by a unanimous vote of all the committees 
participating in the conference: 

Resolved, That the union of the National Associa. 
tion of Iron Manufacturers, the American Pig Iron 
Manufacturers' Association, and the American Iron 
and Steel Association be now formally declare to be 
complete under the name of the American Iron and 
Steel Association. 

Resolved, That the Secretary of the National Asso 
ciation of Iron Manufacturers, and the Secretary Of 
the American Pig Iron Manufacturers' Association be 
requested to give to the Secretary of the American 
Iron and Steel Association the names of members in 
good standing in their respective associations, to be en- 
tered as members of the American Iron and Steel 
Association. 

Resolved, That the constitution of the American Iron 
and Steel Association be formally adopted as the con- 
stitution of the reorganized body. 

Resolved, That the American Iron and Steel Asso- 
ciation meet on Thursday, Feb. 5, at the Continental 
Hotel, for the transaction of business, and that all 
other iron and steel manufacturers in the city be invited 
to be present. 

After the adoption of the resolutions, a 
committee representing the National Asso- 
ciation of Nail Manufacturers entered the 
Parlor, and through their chairman, Mr. R. 
E. Blankenship, announced that their Asso- 
ciation had this evening under consideration 
the propriety of uniting with the other nation- 
al associations, and had concluded that it was 
not expedient to unite at present, but that the 
subject would receive their further considera- 
tion. The committee was coniposedas follows- 
Messrs. R.E. Blankenship, James C. Lewis, 
H. P. Tobey, Andrew Wheeler, and Charles 
L. Bailey. 

The draft of a proposed memorial to Con- 
gress was submitted by Mr. Morrell for the 
consideration of the conference, and after 
discussion was ordered to be [reported to the 
Association at its meeting on the following- 
day. On motion, the conference adjourned. 



16 



Meeting' at the Continental Hotel. 



At eleven o'clock, on the morning of the 
5th inst., the Association assembled at the 
Continental Hotel, the spacious Parlor C 
having been secured for this purpose. There 
were also present many members of other iron 
and steel organizations, who had been re- 
quested to meet with the Association in joint 
convention on this day. The venerable David 
Thomas, of Catasauqua, was called upon to 
preside over the temporary deliberations of 
the assembly, and James M. Swank was ap- 
pointed Secretary. 

In order to perfect the union formed on 
the preceding evening, Mr. Bennett moved 
the adoption of the following resolution : 

Resolved, That a standing committee of five persons 
be selected by the persons present to represent each of 
the branches of the iron and steel industry embraced 
in this Association, whose duty it shall be to take 
charge of all matters relating to their respective in- 
terests, and who shall have power to call meetings of 
their respective branches whenever deemed necessary. 

The resolution was adopted, and the follow- 
ing standing committees were at once desig- 
nated by the members of the various branches : 

Committee on Bar Iron — James C. Lewis, 
Pittsburgh, Pa.; O. Williams, Catasauqua, 
Pa.; R. McCarthy, Syracuse, X. Y.; Xathan 
Rowland, Philadelphia ; George L. Reis, 
Newcastle, Pa. 

Committee on Pig Iron — C. J. Nourse, 
Columbia, Pa.; G. Fuller, Boonton, X. J.; 
J. H. Maxson, St. Louis, Missouri; A. B. 
Cornell, Albany, N. Y. ; H. N. Braem, Pough- 
keepsie, X. Y. 

Committee on Plate Iron — James I. Ben- 
nett, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Dr. Charles Huston, 
Coatesville, Pa.; C. H. Ashburner, Balti- 
more, Md.; C. L. Bailey, Pottstown, Pa.; 
W. R. Mcllvaine, Reading, Pa. 

Committee on Railroad Iron — Daniel J. 
Morrell, Johnstown, Pa.; Captain E. B. 
Ward, Detroit, Mich.; S. A. Fuller, Cleve- 
land, Ohio; Chester Griswold, Troy, X. Y.; 
W. E. C. Coxe, Reading, Pa. 

Mr. Williams moved the adoption of th e 
following resolution : 

Resolved, That the organization of the American 
Iron and Steel Association be now thoroughly perfect- 
ed by the election of the present officers of that organi- 



zation to serve as officers of the new Association for the 
current year. 

The resolution was unanimously agreed to, 
whereupon Mr. Reeves, President of the As- 
sociation, took the chair which Mr. Thomas 
bad vacated upon the adoption of this motion. 
After a few remarks by the President, express- 
ing the pleasure he experienced at his being 
selected to preside over the united associa- 
tions, and uttering the hope that hereafter 
these great branches of the iron industry of 
the United States might work in perfect 
unison, the Association proceeded to the con- 
sideration of matters of business. 

On motion of Mr. Wharton, the members 
of the several committees representing the 
various interests embraced in the American 
Iron and Steel Association were added to the 
Executive Committee of the Association. 

At the suggestion of Mr. Mobrhead, a 
general invitation was extended to all persons 
present, interested in the manufacture of iron 
or steel, to participate in the discussions of 
the Association, and to vote upon all ques- 
tions submitted for decision. 

Hon. Henry C. Carey having entered the 
room, Mr. Stebbins offered the subjoined re- 
solution in compliment to the distinguished 
visitor : 

Resolved, That we gladly recognize in our meeting 
and welcome to our deliberations Henry O. Carey of 
Philadelphia, the wise, learned, and humane political 
economist, the early and steadfast friend of our iron 
and steel industry, as well as of every other industry 
of our country. 

The resolution was adopted with hearty ex- 
pressions of approval. Mr. Morrell called up 
the consideration of the memorial to Con- 
gress, which, after slight amendment, was 
unanimously adopted as follows : 



To the, Honorable the, Senate and House of 
Representatives of the United States of 
America, in Congress assembled : 
The undersigned, representatives of all the 
iron and steel ind ustries of the United States, 
in convention assembled, beg leave to address 
briefly your honorable bodies upon questions 
of public interest now awaiting your consid- 
eration and action, in which, as managers of 



17 



a large amount of invested capital, and em- 
ployers of many workmen, they feel a most 
profound concern. In common with other 
manufacturers, they were seriously embar- 
rassed and obliged to partially or wholly 
suspend operations by the financial panic of 
last September, which overtook them at a 
time when they were making satisfactory 
progress, and were in apparent enjoyment of 
assured prosperity. It inflicted upon them 
great direct loss, and they must for a long 
time suffer from its injurious consequences. 
Though money is again becoming plentiful 
and business is reviving, the iron and steel 
industries are still seriously embarrassed, and 
in some branches which suffered most no im- 
provement is yet manifested. Your memo- 
rialists, believing in the duty of self-help, 
have studied to introduce economies, and, as 
far as possible, to adjust their operations to 
the changed condition of affairs. They en- 
dure patiently the season of general calamity, 
asking no special sympathy or aid, but await- 
ing with confidence such measures of genera 1 
relief as Congress, in its wisdom, may de- 
vise for the benefit of the country. They 
believe that you will be willing to be aided 
in this important labor by such advice as 
their observation and experience suggest, 
and therefore express their views touching 
certain projects of legislation without re- 
serve. 

A bill has been introduced into the House 
of Representatives to repeal the second sec- 
tion of the act of June 6, 1872, which made 
a reduction of ten per cent, in the duties on 
a large number of staple articles, and which 
tended to discourage home production, while 
affecting most injuriously the public revenue. 
Your memorialists strongly urge the passage 
of this repealing act, not merely as a protec- 
tive measure, but for the benefit of the na- 
tional Treasury. Though it may not be di- 
rectly helpful to them, this action will be 
morally encouraging to manufacturers and 
workingmen, as showing that the Govern- 
ment prefers to make up the deficit in its 
revenues from the profits of foreign traders 
rather than by taxes upon its own citizens. 

The propositions presented for your consid- 
eration to amend the tariff laws, by exclud- 



ing the cost of packages and shipping charges 
from the invoice value of foreign goods, upon 
which duties are to be assessed, and allow 
appraisers to take the cost of goods at the 
place of shipment, as a basis of valuation, 
should not be regarded with favor, and your 
memorialists, representing that these pro- 
posed changes would disturb regulations 
which are well understood, and would prove 
injurious to the revenue, and to all domestic 
industries, most earnestly protest against 
their adoption. 

Your memorialists adopt and reaffirm the 
resolution of the American Iron and Steel 
Association at its last annual meeting, that 
the power given to a single creditor under 
the present bankrupt law to force a debtor 
into bankruptcy, against the will and to the 
injury of all others having claims upon the 
estate, is unjust in principle and disastrous 
in practice, and the law should be so amended 
as to give to three-fourths of the creditors, in 
interest, the right to control the settlement 
of the affairs of an insolvent, and to prevent 
them from being subject to proceedings in 
bankruptcy. 

Your memorialists feel much anxiety con- 
cerning the bill embodying the revised and 
codified laws of the United States now pend- 
ing in the House of Representatives. They 
have learned that it is not an exact tran- 
script of existing statutes, and they fear that 
the slightest changes in the schedules of cus- 
toms duties may be most injurious to business 
interests and the public revenue. They re- 
spectfully suggest that the tariff laws should 
be omitted from the revised code, until re- 
formed by the passage of the repealing act, 
hereinbefore prayed for, by the conversion 
of ad valorem into specific duties, and the 
enlargement of the free list in so far as it can 
be effected without detriment to the ' indus- 
tries of the country. If this delay can not be 
granted, they would ask that so much of the 
revised code as relates to duties and taxes 
may be examined by competent experts, and 
published for the information of the country 
before it is finally adopted. 

Your memorialists, sympathizing with the 
general wish that the Government may be 
brought into more intimate relations with 



18 



the people, which has suggested the erection 
of executive bureaus of labor, transporta- 
tion, etc., and of a department of commerce, 
would recommend the creation of a depart- 
ment of industry, having for its head a Cabi- 
net officer to be entitled the Secretary of In- 
dustry, which department shall contain bu- 
reaus of agriculture, manufactures and com- 
merce. These three natural grand divisions 
of human labor should have equal regard 
bestowed upon them, and their harmonious 
organization as above suggested seems as 
necessary as it is symmetrical. Under it, 
every business question which becomes a sub- 
ject of national concern may have appropri- 
ate reference, Congressional committees will 
be relieved of some part of their most oner- 
ous labors, and there will be less danger of 
partial or negligent legislation. 

Your memorialists substantially concur in 
the opinion that legislation is needed not 
only for the present relief of the country and 
the Treasury, but also to guard as far as pos- 
sible against financial troubles in future. 
Panics and periods of general prostration of 
business have occured from time to time* in 
all commercial countries. Different finan- 
cial systems seem alike liable to them, and 
they are quite as frequent and disastrous 
when coin is the standard of payment as 
when a mixed currency or paper alone is em- 
ployed. Your memorialists believe that the 
history of the country, since the close of the 
late civil war, shows that its financial system, 
built up under the stress of circumstances 
which strained to the utmost the credit and 
resources of the nation, is well adapted to 
the needs of the Government and the people, 
and instead of discarding any of its elements 
they would preserve, reform and perfect it. 
To this end they would recommend the fol- 
lowing measures, First, Limitation of the 
issue of legal-tender notes to $400,000,000. 
Second, Repeal of the limitation upon the 
currency, and freedom of bank circulation 
under the national banking laws, subject to 
such regulations as will tend to afford at all 
times and to all parts of the country an ade- 
quate supply of currency for the needs of 
legitimate business, and to prevent such 
periodical and local gluts as lead to injurious 



speculation. Third, Consolidation of the 
national debt in a loan bearing a low rate of 
interest, which shall be the sole basis of 
banking, and may be redeemed and retired 
only by purchase in open market by the 
Government. 

Commending these matters to your consid- 
eration, your memorialists would further 
represent that the great development of their 
industries, which are now almost or quite ad- 
equate in productive power to the wants of 
the country, is directly attributable to the 
tariff policy of the Government, under which 
well rewarded labor has grown in intelligence, 
skill and efficiency, and improvements have 
been made in machinery and processes which 
are of inestimable value. Believing that you 
feel a just pride in this healthful progress, 
and would grieve to see it sustain even a 
temporary check, we trust that you will firmly 
adhere to that general policy of protection 
to home industry which has made the nation 
powerful and its people prosperous. 

On motion of Mr. Moorhead, it was ordered 
that the memorial should be printed and that 
the officers and members of the Association 
should sign it. 

The suggestion by Mr. Williams, that the 
chairmen of the standing committees repre- 
senting the different branches of the As- 
sociation should sign the memorial, was 
adopted, and on motion of Mr. Wharton, 
representatives of the other branches of the 
iron and steel trades were requested to join 
in signing it. [It has been found to be im- 
possible to comply with these requests. The 
memorial could not be engrossed until after 
most of the gentlemen had left the city. ] 

The following resolution was presented by 
Mr. Stebbins: 

Whereas, It Is of the highest Importance that the 
qualities of iron ores be well known in order that the 
quality and cost of iron mado therefrom can be cor- 
rectly determined ; and 

Whereas, The want of any accurate system In this 
matter, and the large demand for ores in the past few 
years, have led to a want of care in assorting and to a 
lowering of the standard of purity detrimental to all 
interested; therefore, 

Resolved, That we urge a more careful assorting of 
kinds, and a more critical classification of qualities 
and percentage of Iron in the ores, as of great impor- 
tance to producer and consumer. 



19 



The resolution was adopted on motion of 
Mr. Durfee, 

Mr. Williams offered a resolution depreca- 
ting the formation of trades unions, and ex- 
pressing the hope that the time might never 
come when it would seem to be necessary to 
form a federation of employers to protect 
their interests, as has recently been done in 
Great Britain. After a prolonged and very 
animated discussion, the resolution was with- 
di'awn. 

Mr. Durfee presented the following resolu- 
tion, moving its adoption: 

Whereas. The cost of the iron in railroads and roll- 
ing stock is about one-third of the total cost of such 
roads ; and 

Whereas, The demand for iron for railroad-buildinsr 
is by far the largest upon which ironmasters depend 
for their business ; and 

Whereas, The mutual interdependence of the rail- 
roads and iron-makers, both as to construction on the 
one hand and employment on the other, is such that 
there can be no cessation of the one without a cessa- 
tion of the other; therefore 

Resolved, That a committee of this Association be 
appointed to consider whether tho iron-makers of the 
country as a whole can do anything to develop new 
railroads and to effect a cheapening of the cost of such 
construction. 



Southern States through which they extend, to revive 
business and give employment to labor now idle, with 
other resulting benefits to the people at large. 

Resolved, That the satisfactory progress of ship- 
building in the United States, and the especial ac- 
tivity in the construction of iron vessels for ocean com- 
merce, are satisfactory evidence of the beneficial opera- 
tion of the registry laws, which should not be changed 
so as to allow free trade in ships, to the serious detri- 
ment of this growing industry, without conferring 
upon the carrying trade any reai or permanent advan- 
tage. 

The resolutions were submited separately, 
and, a spirited discussion having developed 
the existence of a strong adverse sentiment, 
Mr. Durfee offered as a substitute for the 
first resolution the following: 

Resolved, That this Association recognizes as im- 
portant and necessary that the General Government 
should initiate and carry out a general system of inter- 
nal improvements tending to reduce the costs of inter- 
communication between the various sections of the 
country, for passengers, raw material and products. 

Continued opposition having been mani- 
fested, the substitute and the original resolu- 
tion were both withdrawn. The second reso- 
lution of Mr. Bennett, referring to shipbuild- 
ing, was then passed. 

The thanks of the Association were tend- 



The resolution was referred to the Execu- j ered the reporters present, on motion of Mr. 
tive Committee. I Williams. 

Mr. Wharton moved the adoption of the Mr. Thomas S. Blair made a few remarks, 
following resolution, which was done: I congratulating the members upon the very 

Resolved, That each person present be requested to ', successful meeting that had been held, assert- 
give his name and address to the Secretary, before . ing that it was the largest assemblage of 
leaving, in order that such names may be placed on j ron an( j s t e el manufacturers that had ever 



record. 

On motion of Mr. Coxe, the Association 
passed the appended resolution: 

Resolved, That this meeting cordially approves the 
proposed exhibition of iron ores and products at the 
Centennial Exhibition, and that we promise our indi- 
vidual co-operation to the American Iron and Steel 
Association in securing a just representation of the 
iron resources of the country. 

Mr. Bennett moved the adoption of the 
annexed resolutions: 

Resolved, That the general policy of employing a 
portion of the national revenue in the improvement of 
natural channels of trade and transportation, and of 
extending governmental aid to transcontinental lines 
of railroad, the construction of which involves greater 
risks and expense than private enterprise is willing to 
encounter, has been beneficial to the whole country ; 
and we advise that such further aid be extended to un- 
finished national lines of road as will render produc- 
tive the investments already made in them by the 
Government, and tend to improve the Western and 



been seen in the United States, and express- 
ing the hope that future conventions would 
be as harmonious in their deliberations as 
this had been. 

An adjournment sine die was then effected 
at 2.30 p. m., the convention having been in 
session three and a half hours. 



Partial List of Persons Present at the 
Meeting on Thursday. 

PIG IRON MANUFACTURERS AND IRON ORE MINERS. 

J. B. Moorhead & Jas. E. Thropp, Merion Furnaces 
J. B. Moorhead & Co., Conshohocken, Pa. 

S. H. Witherbee, Cedar Point Iron Co., Fletchervllle 
Blast Furnace Co., Port Henry, N. Y. 

E. C. Pechin, Dunbar Iron Co., Dunbar, Pa. 

Thomas Struthers, Struthers 
Station, O. 

E. & G. Brooke, Keystone Furnaces, Birdsboro, Pa. 



Iron Co., Struthers' 



20 



Abm. S. Patterson, Montgomery Iron Co., Port 
Kennedy, Pa. 

Chas. E. Coffin, Muirkirk Iron Co., Muirkirk, Md. 

Mason W. Burt, Mingo Iron Works Co., Mingo Junc- 
tion, O. 
Neshannock Iron Co., Newcastle, Pa. 

TV. McConkey, Wrightsville Iron Co.,Wrightsville, Pa. 

Paris Kaldeman, E. Haldeman & Co., Chickies Fur- 
naces, Pa. 

I. Lord, Richland Furnace Co., Chillicothe, O. 

Win. Firnistone, Glendon Iron Co., Easton, Pa. 

H. G. Blackwell, Green Pond Iron Alining Co., ilo 
Broadway, New York. 

G. L. Smith, Ulster Blast Furnaces, Elmira, N. Y. 

C. S. Kauffman, Kauffman Furnace. Columbia. Pa. 

D. O. & H. S. Hitner, Win. Penn Furnaces, ( ionsho- 

hocken, Pa. 
'A. P. Boyer, Schuylkill Iron Co., Ringgold Iron Co., 

Pottsville, Pa. 
.las. I. Bennett, Graff, Bennett ,V Co., Pittsburgh, Pa. 
Orin C. Frost, Northern N. Y. Iron ..v Mining Co., 

Watertown, N. Y. 
D. McCormick, Paxton Furnaces, Harrisburg, Pa. 

BAR IRON, NAIL AND BLOOM MANUFACTURERS. 

Hughes -v Patterson, Delaware Rolling Mill. Phila- 
delphia. 

u. E. Blankenship, Old Dominion Iron and Nail 
Work?. Richmond, Va. 

Alex. Laughlin, Jr.. American Iron Work-. Pitts 
burgh. Pa. 

TV. O. Fayerweather, Passaic Rolling Mill Co., Pat- 
erson, N. .1. 

Geo. F. McCleane, Moorhead & Co., Soho Iron ! 
Pittsburgh, Pa. 

Wm. TV. Wood, W 1 Brothers, Wood's Falls. X. Y. 

Jacob Hornbrook, Wheeling Iron ami Nail Co., Wheel- 
ing, W. \ a 

W. W. HollOWay, \etna lion and Nail Co., B] 

port. ( >hio. 
Geo. L. Reis, Reis, Brown & Berger, Shi 

Works, Newcastle 
Jas. C. Lewis, Lewis. Bailey, Dalzell 8e Co., \ • 

Iron Works, Pittsburgh, Pa. 
James Morris. in. Cohoes Polling Mill. Troy. N. Y. 
Manuel McShain, Rohrerstown Rolling Mill, Phila 

delphia. 
Jay Hildreth, Rome Merchant Iron Mill, Rome, N. Y. 
Wm. Arthur Coffin. Pembroke Iron Co.. Franconia 

Iron and Steel Co., Boston, Mass. 
John Ralston, Tamaqua Rolling Mill Co.. Tamaqua, 

Pa. 
N. Wilkinson. Riverside Iron Works. Dewey, Vance 

& Co.. Wheeling, W. Va. 
John Peck. Samsondale Iron Works. Haverstraw, 

N. Y. 
. Diamond State Iron Co., Wilming- 
ton, Del. 
J. H. Sternbergh. Reading Rolling Mill, Reading. 

Pa. 
Percival Roberts, Pencoyd Iron Works, Philadelphia. 
W. S. Mead, Knoxvillc Iron Co., Knoxville, Tenn. 



Wm. G. Neilson. Logan Iron and Steel Co., Lewis- 
town, Pa. 

John Rogers, J. & J. Rogers Iron Co., Blackbrook. 
N. Y. 

Oliver Williams. Catasauqua Manufacturing Co.. 
( latasauqua, Pa. 

Wm. E. S. Baker. Duncannon Iron Co.. Philadelphia. 

RAIL MANUFACTURERS. 

T. G. Nock, Borne Iron Co., Rome, N. Y. 

John Fritz, Bethlehem Iron Co., Bethlehem. Pa. 

Fred. J. Slade, N. J. Steel and Iron Co., Trenton, 
\. I. 

I reo. E. B. Jackson, Portland Rolling Mill Co., Port- 
land. Maine. 

Wm. Lewis, Spuyten Duyvil Rolling ZNIill Co., Spuy- 
ten Duyvil, N. Y. 

Morris McDonald, J. Bragdon & Co., New Albany 
Rolling Mill, New Albany, Ind. 

A. .1. Dull, Lochiel Rollins Mill Co., Harrisburjr, Pa. 

L. Worthington, Cincinnati Railway Iron Works, 
Globe Rolling Mill Co., Cincinnati, O. 

TV. E. C. Coxe, Philadelphia and Reading Rolling 
m ill. Reading, Pa. 

Wm. Jones. Alliance Rolling Mill Co., Alliance, O. 

S. A. Fuller, Cleveland Iron Co., Cleveland, O. 

S. J. Reeves, Phcenix Iron Co., Phoenixville, Pa. 

T. Guilford Smith, Union Iron Co., Buffalo, N. Y. 

D. J. Mnrrell. Cambria Iron Co., Johnstown, Pa. 

( lyrus Elder, •' " " 

( K B. Stebblns, Wyandotte Rolling Mill Co., Milwau- 
kee Iron Co., North Chicago Rolling Mill Co., 
Detroit. 

S. Hinchman, Pennsylvania Steel Co., Phila- 
delphia. 

Joseph Wharton. Bethlehem Iron Co., Philadelphia. 

Chester Griswold, John A. Griswold h. Co., Troy, 
N. Y. 

Robert McCarthy, Delano Iron Co., Syracuse, N. Y. 

Edwin Eldridge, Elmira Rolling Mill Co., Elmira. 
N. Y. 

STEEL MA SfFACTURERS. 

Reese, Reese, Graf] & Woods, Pittsburgh, Pa. 
G. W. Barr, Miller, Hair .v Parkin. Pittsburgh, Pa. 
Jos. I>. Weeks. Hussey, Wells <v Co., Singer. Nimick 

& ( !o., Pittsburgh, Pa. 
Thomas s. Blair, Shoenberger, Blair & Co.. Pitts- 
burgh, Pa. 
rtG. Bushnell, Park. Brother & Co., New York. 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

Emil Wenck, Schmeisser, Wenck & Co., Baltimore. 

.lames C. Bayles, Editor " Iron Age," New York. 

Z. S. Durfee, Pneumatic Steel Association, New York. 

A. L. Holley. Brooklyn. 

A. H. McFadden, 1201 Beach St., Philadelphia. 

Henry C. Carey, Philadelphia. 

James Henderson, New York. 

David Thomas, Catasauqua, Pa. 

J. B. Pearse, Philadelphia. 

S. T. Bodine, Royers Ford Foundry, Royers Ford, Pa. 



21 



P 



T H E R 



/& 



A meeting of the National Association of 
Nail Manufacturers was held at the Continen- 
tal Hotel on the afternoon of the 4th and on 
the morning of the 5th, before the assembling 
of the general convention. Mr. Thomas S. 
Blair, President of the Association, occupied 
the chair, and Mr. James C. Holdeu acted as 
Secretary. 

Mr. Holden stated that the aggregate pro- 
duction of nails throughout the country for 
1873 was 40,000 tons less than that of 1872, 
and 312,000 tons less than that of 1871, and 
that the stock of nails on hand on the 1st of 
January, 1874, was 32,000 tons less than on 
the 1st of January, 1873, and 30,000 more 
than on the 1st of January, 1872. There 
was a very general interchange of views as 
to the prospects of the nail manufacture for 
the present year, and it was elicited that 
there is a very large and increasing demand 
for nails in the markets of the West, while 
an increased demand in the Eastern markets 
is looked for at an early date. The general 
outlook was regarded as decidedly encour- 
aging. 

One very important matter affecting the 
nail interests was discussed and satisfactorily 
settled. Hitherto there has been great varia- 
tion between the Eastern and Western classi- 
fications as to the lengths of different sorts 
of nails. It was decided to have one identi- 
cal classification throughout the country, and 
the Western was adopted as the national 
classification. 

The Association adjourned to meet again 
in Philadelphia in July next. Among the 



EETINGS. 

prominent nail works represented at the 
meeting were the Fall Paver Nail Works, 
Tremont Nail Company, East Bridgewater 
Iron Company, Old Colony Iron Company, 
Wareham Nail Company, Robinson Iron 
Company, Weymouth Iron Company, Somer- 
set Iron Company, Parker Mills, Providence 
Iron Company, J. & J. Rogers Iron Com- 
pany, Boonton Iron Works, Oxford Iron 
Company, Duncannou Iron Company, Birds 
boro' Nail Works, Pottstown Iron Company, 
Chesapeake Nail Works, Harrisburg Nail 
Works, Old Dominion Iron and Nail Works 
Company, Sable Iron Works, Juniata Iron 
Works, Vesuvius Iron Works, Clinton Iron 
and Nail AVorks, and New Castle Manufac- 
turing Company. 

On the afternoon of the 5th several! 
manufacturers of railroad iron met at the 
same place, and determined to organize an 
association of the proprietors of rail mills 
east of Pittsburgh. Dr. Edwin Eldridge, of 
the Elmira Iron and Steel Rolling Mill Co., 
presided over the organization until perma- 
nent officers were elected. Mr. W. E. C. 
Coxe, of the Philadelphia and Reading Roll- 
ing Mill, was chosen President, and Mr. 
Frederick J. Slade, of the New Jersey Steel 
and Iron Co., Secretary. 

The only business transacted was the pass- 
age of a resolution that the members of the 
Association should forward to the Secretary 
full lists of their labor prices, to be collected 
by him and furnished in tabular form, for 
their private information, to every member of 
the Association. 



The Blair Iron and Steel P 



rocess. 



Remarks of Mr. Thomas S Blair, of Pitts- 
burgh, in explanation of his direct process 
for the manufacture of homogeneous iron 
and steel, delivered at the meeting on Wed- 
nesday, Feb. 4th. 

Mr. Blair said : I beg leave to call the at- 
tention of members to the exhibits in the 
room and the ingot at the door, the latter 
being too heavy to bring up stairs. 



The specimens marked "No. 1" are iron- 
sponge produced from the ores of Lake Su- 
perior and the Iron Mountain Mine of Mis- 
souri. By the process employed by the 
Blair Iron and Steel Co., the ores can beheld 
under treatment for any length of time re- 
quisite to produce a nearly perfect elimina- 
tion of the oxygen. It is this feature which 
gives this one of their products its value for 



all purposes to which that form of iron can be 
applied, and especially for the open-hearth 
process, where any large ratio of iron-oxide 
would be inadmissible. 

The specimens marked " No. 2" are blooms 
of about 6 inches diameter and 18 inches long. 
That marked " A" is produced by compress- 
ing the loose sponge in a cold state. The 
other marked "B" is formed by heating the 
"A'' bloom to a red heat and again com- 
pressing it. This hot-pressing is not prac- 
ticed by the Company in using blooms in 
their own open-hearth furnace, nor is it 
needed except to make them stand rough 
handling in transportation. 

The specimen "No. 3" is the ingot ob- 
tained in the ordinary open-hearth process, 
merely substituting the sponge bloom for the 
wrought iron ordinarily used. 

Estimates of the cost of production ac- 
company the specimens. In these estimates 
the items peculiar to the process are given 
specifically, while the cost of material is left 
to be filled in by each member, to suit the 
condition of his own locality, so that he may 
compare the results of the direct process with 
those at present obtained. 

Connected with this subject of cost I may 
state that we use an open-hearth furnace 
which works on the principle of " contin- 
uous regeneration," as it has been called, 
that is, the outgoing flames pass continuously 
in one direction and the ingoing air and gas 
also pass continuously in one direction, the 
waste heat being recovered by absorption 
through the walls of the channels which con- 
fine each current within its own bounds. We 
find, in practice, great satisfaction in the 
working of this furnace, the heat being an 
equable one, undisturbed by the reversing of 
the currents. 

As to the character of the ingots pro- 



duced, it is only necessary to say that 
they offer no peculiar feature. It is the 
experience of all connected with open-hearth 
practice, that good materials are necessary to 
give good results. The ore employed for 
making the sponge should be either free from 
phosphorus ox the latter must exist as a com- 
bination with lime, only mixed mechanically 
with the iron-oxide. Sulphur must be elimina- 
ted before commencing the production. In 
speaking of the abf-ence of sulphur and phos- 
phorus, it is meant that they must not 
exceed the limits recognized in the Besse- 
mer process. But if the ore is right, the 
iron-sponge will be a fitter material to melt 
in the cast iron than any other form of 
wrought iron, because it presents the iron as 
an elementary body, having no chemical 
affinity for the earthy constituents of the 
ore, and these latter pass off to the surface 
as soon as fusion takes place. The pig 
iron employed should be good enough for use 
in the Bessemer process, but need not 
be so high in carbon, and is all the better the 
less silicon it contains. 

The ratio of carbon is of course under the 
same control as in all open-hearth practice, 
and the product may be either hard enough 
for high steel or soft enough to substitute for 
ordinary wrought iron. 

The company claim that they realize, in 
actual working practice, the true " direct 
process,"' by first withdrawing the oxygen 
from the natural iron-oxide, and second, 
fusing the product with other iron containing 
carbon enough to facilitate this fusion. 

As with other fusing products, the in- 
got can be made of a temper to suit all 
steel purposes, except tool- steel ; or it can be 
cast as homogeneous metal, an article su- 
perior in quality to every other form of 
wrought iron. 



Officers of the American Iron and Steel Association for 1874, 

Office at %&5 South Fourth Street, Philadelphia. 



PRESIDENT. 

SAMUEL, J. REEVES, 

No. 410 Walnut Street, Philadelphia,. 



E B. WARD, 

Detroit, Michigan. 
ABRAM S. HEWITT. 

17 Burling Slip, New York. 



YICE PRESIDENTS. 

S. M. F ELTON, 

125 South Fifth Street, Philadelphia. 
JAMES I. BENNETT, 
Pittsburgh. 
JAMES PARK, Jr., Pittsburgh. 



SECRETARY. 

JAMES M. SWANK, 

265 South Fourth Street, Philadelphia. 



TREASURER. 
CHARLES WHEELER, 

Philadelphia. 

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. 



S. J. Reeves, 410 Walnut Street, Philadelphia. 
A. S. Hewitt, 17 Burling Slip, New York. 
C. S. Kaufpman, Columbia, Pennsylvania. 
J. B. Moorhead, 138 S. Third St., Philadelphia. 
James Park, Jr., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 
Percival Roberts, 265 S. Fourth St., Philada. 
James I. Bennett, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 



R. H. Lamborn, 125 S. Fifth Street, Philadelphia. 

Alfred Hunt, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. 

E. Y. Townsend, 218 S. Fourth St., Philadelphia. 

Charles Wheeler, Philadelphia. 

Chas. Stewart Wurts, 218 S. Fourth St., Phila. 

A. B. Stone, Cleveland, Ohio. 

Edward Harrison, St. Louis, Missouri. 



STANDING COMMITTEES. 
(Also members ex officio of the Executive Committee.) 



Bar Iron.— James C. Lewis, Pittsburgh, Pa.; 
Oliver Williams, Catasauqua, Pa.; N. Rowland. 
Philadelphia ; Geo. L. Reis, New Castle, Pa., and 
Robert McCarthy, Syracuse, New York. 

Plate Iron.— James I. Bennett, Pittsburgh. Pa.; 
Dr. Charles Huston, Coatesville, Pa.; Chas. H. Ash- 
burner, Baltimore, Md.: Charles H. Bailey, Potts- 
town, Pa., and Wm. R. Mcllvaine, Reading, Pa. 



Pig Iron.— C. J. Nourse, Columbia, Pa.; J. H. 
Maxson, St. Louis, Mo.: A. B. Cornell, Albany, 
N. Y.; Henri N. Braem, Poughkeepsie, N. Y., and 
G. Fuller, Boonton, N. J. 

Railroad Iron. — D. J. Morrell, Johnstown, Pa.; 
E. B. Ward, Detroit, Michigan; S. A. Fuller, 
Cleveland, Ohio; Chester Griswold, Troy, N. Y., 
and W. E. C. Coxe, Reading, Pa. 



BOARD OF MANAGERS. 



E. B. Ward, Detroit, Michigan. 

A. S. Hewitt, 17 Burling Slip, New York. 

Samuel Thomas, Hokendauqua, Pennsylvania. 

John H. Reed, Boston, Massachusetts. 

James Park, Jr., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 

Joseph Kinsey, Cincinnati, Ohio. 

O. S. Kauffman, Columbia, Pennsylvania. 

Thomas S. Blair, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 

A. B. Stone, Cleveland, Ohio. 

B. F. Jones, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 
J. T. Wilder, Chattanooga, Tennessee. 
Charles Wheeler, Philadelphia. 

A. W. Humphreys, 42 Pine Street, New York. 

Horace Abbott, Baltimore, Maryland. 

S. J. Reeves, 410 Walnut Street, Philadelphia. 



J. M. Lord, Indianapolis, Indiana. 

Thomas Beaver, Danville, Pennsylvania. 

E. Y. Townsend, 218 S. Fourth St., Philadelphia. 

James I. Bennett, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 

Alfred Hunt, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. 

Percival Roberts, 265 S. Fourth St., Philada. 

James Rogers, Essex, New York. 

Joseph Wharton, Philadelphia. 

R. H. Lamborn, 125 S. Filth Street, Philadelphia. 

A. B. Meeker, Chicago, Illinois. 

Geo. W. Hall, St. Louis, Missouri. 

Chester Griswold, Troy, New York. 

E. B. Pratt, Buflalo, New York. 

Abram Patterson, Port Kennedy, Pennsylvania. 

R. C, Hannah, Chicago, Illinois. 



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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



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